--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [John Adams and Tomas Jefferson] shared…" description: "\"[John Adams and Tomas Jefferson] shared experience in 1775 - 1776 in bringing about the separation from Britain and their service in Europe cemented a ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61b/gordon-s-wood-13199_becoming_john-adams-and-tomas-jefferson-shared-ex_2533475.png" --- # \[John Adams and Tomas Jefferson\] shared experience in 1775… ![“[John Adams and Tomas Jefferson] shared experience in 1775 - 1776 in bringing about the separation from Britain and their service in Europe cemented a friendship that in the end withstood the most serious political and religious differences that one could imagine, especially their differences over…” quote by Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61b/gordon-s-wood-13199_becoming_john-adams-and-tomas-jefferson-shared-ex_2533475.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61b/gordon-s-wood-13199_becoming_john-adams-and-tomas-jefferson-shared-ex_2533475.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61b/gordon-s-wood-13199_becoming_john-adams-and-tomas-jefferson-shared-ex_2533475.png) > “\[John Adams and Tomas Jefferson\] shared experience in 1775 - 1776 in bringing about the separation from Britain and their service in Europe cemented a friendship that in the end withstood the most serious political and religious differences that one could imagine, especially their differences over the French Revolution. It was probably Jefferson's obsession with politeness and civility that kept the relationship from becoming irreparably broken.” [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The collaboration of Adams and Jefferson survived deep political and religious divides because mutual respect and civility outweighed partisan conflict. **In simple terms:** Respect and civility kept a friendship alive despite big differences. Key Takeaway Prioritize respectful dialogue in disagreements. Themes friendship politics civil discourse historical collaboration Mood reflective thoughtful Type historical analytical When to use this quote - diplomatic negotiations - political debates - cross‑ideological partnerships Key Concepts Republicanism federalism personal virtue Questions to Reflect On - How can civility be maintained when core values clash? - What limits does politeness have in resolving conflict? A Different Perspective Even with civility, fundamental disagreements can still strain relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [1776 Bringing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/1776-bringing-1366475/) [Becoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/becoming/) [Britain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/britain/) [Broken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broken/) [Civility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civility/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Experience 1775](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience-1775-1366477/) [French revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/french-revolution/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jefferson/) [Jefferson Shared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jefferson-shared-1366474/) [John Adam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/john-adam/) [John adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/john-adams/) [Obsession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsession/) [Politeness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politeness/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Religious differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-differences/) [Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolution/) [Separation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separation/) [Separation Britain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separation-britain-1366476/) [Serious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious/) [Shared experiences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shared-experiences/) [Tomas jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tomas-jefferson/) ## Related quotes > [ \[John\] Adams was the best and most colorful stylist among the Founders. Although \[Tomas\] Jefferson is widely regarded as the smoothest writer, Adams is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/john-adams-was-the-best-and-most-colorful-stylist-among-the-founders/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [ More than any other figure in our history \[Tomas\] Jefferson is responsible for the idea of American exceptionalism. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/more-than-any-other-figure-in-our-history-tomas-jefferson-is/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [ I think \[John's Adams\] descriptions of the personalities of \[Benjamin\] Franklin and \[Tomas\] Jefferson and others were pretty accurate. It is only when he… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/i-think-john-s-adams-descriptions-of-the-personalities-of-benjamin/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [ The Declaration \[of Independence\] was a committee report, and \[Tomas\] Jefferson was simply the draftsman. \[John\] Adams's crucial role in bringing about independence in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/the-declaration-of-independence-was-a-committee-report-and-tomas/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [ \[John Adams\] always felt that his contribution to bringing about independence went unappreciated, especially after the 1790s when \[Tomas\] Jefferson began to be lauded… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/john-adams-always-felt-that-his-contribution-to-bringing-about/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [ \[John Adams\] is impressed with \[Tomas\] Jefferson's learning, but noted his silence during the debates in the Congress: "I never heard him utter three… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/john-adams-is-impressed-with-tomas-jefferson-s-learning-but-noted-his/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [ After \[Tomas\] Jefferson's defeat of \[John\] Adams in the presidential election of 1800, they didn't communicate with one another for more than a decade. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/after-tomas-jefferson-s-defeat-of-john-adams-in-the-presidential/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [ \[Tomas\] Jefferson believed that the United States was a chosen nation with a special responsibility to spread democracy around the world. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/tomas-jefferson-believed-that-the-united-states-was-a-chosen-nation/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [ The relationship between \[John\] Adams and \[Tomas\] Jefferson was extraordinary. They differed on every conceivable issue, except on the Revolution and the love of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/the-relationship-between-john-adams-and-tomas-jefferson-was/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [ \[John\] Adams's perception of Europe, and especially France, was clearly different than \[Tomas\] Jefferson's. For Jefferson, the luxury and sophistication of Europe only made… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/john-adams-s-perception-of-europe-and-especially-france-was-clearly/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [ A mutual friend, Benjamin Rush, brought \[Tomas Jefferson and John Adams\] together in 1812, and they went on to exchange letters for the rest… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/a-mutual-friend-benjamin-rush-brought-tomas-jefferson-and-john-adams/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [ Again and again \[Tomas\] Jefferson deftly sidesteps many of \[John\] Adams's often provocative remarks. They both felt the correspondence, which was written for posterity,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/again-and-again-tomas-jefferson-deftly-sidesteps-many-of-john-adams-s/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [“We have religious differences." Marrok allowed. "I want him to rot in hell and he disagrees.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-gannon/we-have-religious-differences-marrok-allowed-i-want-him-to-rot-in/) [Cassandra Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-gannon/) > [We are a people of many races, many faiths, creeds, and religions. I do not think that the men who made the Constitution forbade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/we-are-a-people-of-many-races-many-faiths-creeds-and-religions-i-do/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [“Religious unreason should acquire and even greater stigma in our discourse, given that it remains among the principal causes of armed conflict in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/religious-unreason-should-acquire-and-even-greater-stigma-in-our/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) ## More by Gordon S. Wood > [ \[The Massachusetts constitution\] resembles the federal Constitution of 1787 more closely than any of the other revolutionary state constitutions. It was also drawn up… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/the-massachusetts-constitution-resembles-the-federal-constitution-of/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [If history teaches anything, it teaches humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/if-history-teaches-anything-it-teaches-humility/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [ \[John\] Adams identified himself with the political theories of \[James\] Harrington, \[John\] Locke, and \[Charles-Louis\] Montesquieu, whose ideas of constitutionalism, he believed, were applicable… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/john-adams-identified-himself-with-the-political-theories-of-james/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [ \[John\] Adams was the best and most colorful stylist among the Founders. Although \[Tomas\] Jefferson is widely regarded as the smoothest writer, Adams is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/john-adams-was-the-best-and-most-colorful-stylist-among-the-founders/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [This rationale, which justified the mixed constitution of Great Britain, might have made some sense in 1776, but by 1787 most American thinkers had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/this-rationale-which-justified-the-mixed-constitution-of-great/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [ By the time \[John Adams\] came to write his Defence of the Constitutions of the United States in 1787 he had as dark a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/by-the-time-john-adams-came-to-write-his-defence-of-the-constitutions/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [ Creating senates, the French critics said, implied that there was another social order besides the people represented in the houses of representatives. \[John\] Adams… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/creating-senates-the-french-critics-said-implied-that-there-was/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [ By 1782 \[John Adams\] had come to feel for \[Benjamin\] Franklin "no other sentiments than Contempt or Abhorrence." ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/by-1782-john-adams-had-come-to-feel-for-benjamin-franklin-no-other/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [ I think \[John Adams\] developed a much deeper suspicion of France and the other European powers than he had earlier. He lost much if… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/i-think-john-adams-developed-a-much-deeper-suspicion-of-france-and/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [ \[John\] Adams never had an optimistic view of human nature, and his experience in the Congress and abroad only deepened his suspicion that his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/john-adams-never-had-an-optimistic-view-of-human-nature-and-his/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [ A mutual friend, Benjamin Rush, brought \[Tomas Jefferson and John Adams\] together in 1812, and they went on to exchange letters for the rest… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/a-mutual-friend-benjamin-rush-brought-tomas-jefferson-and-john-adams/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [“Intellectual activity in a culture is not a one-way flow between the great minds and passive recipients; it is a discourse, a complex marketplace-like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/intellectual-activity-in-a-culture-is-not-a-one-way-flow-between-the/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [ \[John\] Adams's perception of Europe, and especially France, was clearly different than \[Tomas\] Jefferson's. For Jefferson, the luxury and sophistication of Europe only made… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/john-adams-s-perception-of-europe-and-especially-france-was-clearly/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [History is the queen of the humanities. It teaches wisdom and humility, and it tells us how things change through time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/history-is-the-queen-of-the-humanities-it-teaches-wisdom-and-humility/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [“In the decades following the Revolution, America changed so much and so rapidly that Americans not only became used to change, but came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/in-the-decades-following-the-revolution-america-changed-so-much-and/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) [Explore all 51 Gordon S. Wood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) ## More Becoming quotes > [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/) [Jennifer Siebel Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-siebel-newsom/) > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [The path I choose through the maze makes me what I am. I am not only a thing, but also a way of being--one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-keyes/the-path-i-choose-through-the-maze-makes-me-what-i-am-i-am-not-only-a/) [Daniel Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-keyes/) > [Becoming famous is a really shocking thing, especially when you don't have aspirations to it. It got to the point where I would try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/becoming-famous-is-a-really-shocking-thing-especially-when-you-don-t/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [When other boys dreamt of going to the moon or becoming doctors, I wanted to be a designer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-theyskens/when-other-boys-dreamt-of-going-to-the-moon-or-becoming-doctors-i/) [Olivier Theyskens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-theyskens/) > [One is not born a genius, one becomes a genius; and the feminine situation has up to the present rendered this becoming practically impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/one-is-not-born-a-genius-one-becomes-a-genius-and-the-feminine/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [The dream of coming back is becoming a reality. A lot of the uncertainty about the future has been cleared up. A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tagliabue/the-dream-of-coming-back-is-becoming-a-reality-a-lot-of-the/) [Paul Tagliabue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tagliabue/) > [I'm getting to a point where everything is becoming streamlined in my life. I'm learning how to stand onstage for two hours and play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayer/i-m-getting-to-a-point-where-everything-is-becoming-streamlined-in-my/) [John Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayer/) > [The term 'Pre-Raphaelite' is in danger of becoming one of the most misused tags in art history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-wood/the-term-pre-raphaelite-is-in-danger-of-becoming-one-of-the-most/) [Christopher Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-wood/) > [We are somehow the children of the planet, we are somehow its finest hour; we bind time, we bind the past, we anticipate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-somehow-the-children-of-the-planet-we-are-somehow-its-finest/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [The reason so many of us are obsessed with becoming stars is because we are not yet starring in our own lives. The cosmic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-reason-so-many-of-us-are-obsessed-with-becoming-stars-is-because/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [In a personal way, to do with family and the father-son relationship, in a kind of artistic way with regard to him being an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/in-a-personal-way-to-do-with-family-and-the-father-son-relationship/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [Trying to be perfect may be inevitable for people who are smart and ambitious and interested in the world and its good opinion...What is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/trying-to-be-perfect-may-be-inevitable-for-people-who-are-smart-and/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) [Browse all 4,715 Becoming quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/becoming/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "[John Adams and Tomas Jefferson] shared experience in 1775 - 1776 in bringing about the separation from Britain and their service in Europe cemented a friendship that in the end withstood the most serious political and religious differences that one could imagine, especially their differences over the French Revolution. It was probably Jefferson's obsession with politeness and civility that kept the relationship from becoming irreparably broken.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gordon S. Wood" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/john-adams-and-tomas-jefferson-shared-experience-in-1775-1776-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Becoming" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/john-adams-and-tomas-jefferson-shared-experience-in-1775-1776-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61b/gordon-s-wood-13199_becoming_john-adams-and-tomas-jefferson-shared-ex_2533475.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61b/gordon-s-wood-13199_becoming_john-adams-and-tomas-jefferson-shared-ex_2533475.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61b/gordon-s-wood-13199_becoming_john-adams-and-tomas-jefferson-shared-ex_2533475.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“[John Adams and Tomas Jefferson] shared experience in 1775 - 1776 in bringing about the separation from…” — Gordon S. Wood", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Gordon S. Wood", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "[John Adams and Tomas Jefferson] shared...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/john-adams-and-tomas-jefferson-shared-experience-in-1775-1776-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/john-adams-and-tomas-jefferson-shared-experience-in-1775-1776-in/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```